Measuring apparatus



ILXHMINH July 11, 1950 LE ROY BANNER MEASURING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1943 [mania 1 LAHIVHHLI UKUSS Klll'tiiiti'zb...

LE ROY BANNER MEASURING APPARATUS July 11, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1943 %.v b QW 0 ME July 11, 1950 LE ROY BANNER MEASURING APPARATQS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m I :w Q W WHw i Q m Z lmzeiziwq' Filed Dec. 31, 1943 Patented July 11, 1950 nU-NlT ED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEASURING APPARATUS Le my Banner, McDonald, ohio Application December 31, 1943, Serial No. 516,465

I Claims. 1

' It is among the objects of the present in vention to accurately "and instantaneously obtainmeasuf-r'nents of the type referred to.

Another obj act is the provision of a measuring apparatus of the class described which does not contact the work-object.

Still another object is the attainment of the foregoing by the use of instrumentalities which are comparatively easy and inexpensive to manuiacture, ihstall, and maintain.

I'n numerous industries it is desirable to accurately and rapidly measure certain dimensions oi ebiects which are moving at substantial rates or speed. As a typical instance; reference is made to the 'n'ianufacture of strip steel in substantial lengths wherein at frequent intervals it is desirable to determine whether or not the proper width "is being maintained; Numerous ap aratus of the "prior art have been constructed and arranges for linear measurement or work-objects, and paft'icular'l'y -oi the width of traveling strip, but for the most part they require contact with the edges of the work-object. At 'rtaiii stages of its manufacture it is impractical to contact the edges or traveling strip steel; and this is e'spedaily time of hot strip steel emerging from the fiolighi'ng stand or a hbt strip mill. At this point in its manufacture it is highly desirable to ac e'iifately and rapidly ascertain the width of the strip; for it is here that an immediate adjustment is the edges can be made, with the result that proper width is maintained. It, on the other hand, the width. or the strip is not accurately de- 'ter'm'ined until later (as when after it has been (toilet! and per-mince to cool to room temperatrue) it is top late to ihake'proper adjustments to the dgers' in order to accommodate discrepancies in width, with the result that several slabs will rolled before the correction or adjustment is "ade.

The present invention see s t6 provide ensebui'at-e measuring apparatus which may be efliciently employed to accurately a a instantaneously obtain certain dimensions of moving objects; such as the Width of traveling plates, strips, etc., and

Without the necessity of contacting the object. V

In accordance with the teachings of the pres- Eat invention, the measuring ap aratus can be 10- Gated at desires po nt, for example, at the ioughifig stand (if a hot stripmill, therebyenabliiig ii'rii'i'idlat manufacturing adjustments to accommodate discrepancies, such, for example, as improper adjustment of the edgers.

The i vention, their"; comprises the features herein-aster fully 83's pars-chiefly pointed 'out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in 'detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative of several the number of ways in which the principles of th invention may be employed. In said drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device; Figure 2 is a. sectional view on the line II--II 1-0 fFi ur .l F gure -3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of lgigure 1; Figure 4 is a view partly in cross section of the tube forsupporting the photoelectric cell; l6 Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line V-V of Figure 4; v

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line tf re 4;

Figure '7 is a side view '0! the gage; V V v 5 Figureil is a view looking from the right at Figurei;v A Figure 9 is a view of the light moving mechanism taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 1; Figure 10 isa cross sectional view taken on the line X- -X of Figure 9; v Figure 11 is across sectional view taken on the line m-xr of Figure 9; and I Figural-2 shows a schematic wiring diagram for operating the carriage motors. v v

Referring more particularly to the drawings. the reference numeral 2 designates a conveyor such as the deliver ;1 table which extends from the finishing mill stand of a hot strip mill. As shown the conveyor consists of a series of aligned parallel rollers 4; each of which is driven by an adjacently disposed electric motor 6. A i I Disposed over-the delivery table 2 is an elevated platform 3 wh 'rch is supported by means of the I -beams l0. lylore specifically, the elevated platform 8 comprises an I-beam l2 upon which there is disposed 01 either side of the vertical center line a pair oi spaced aligned bearings 14, each pair of which supports a screw threaded shaft {6. Motor l) iscoupled to the right hand shaft l6 and motor is connected to the left hand shaft "5 to impart rotation thereto. Carried on the right hand shaft 16 is a threaded traveling nut 22 while the left hand shaft 16 carries a similar nut 24. Secured to the traveling nuts 22 and 24 are carriages 26 and 28 respectively, the wheels of which contact and ride along the upper surface of the I -beaml2. Each of the carriages carries a pair of vertically depending legs indicated as 30 and 32 respectively"; The vertically depending legs 38 carry a pair of inboard horizontal extensions 34 and 36, while the vertically depending legs 82 carry a pair 01' corresponding and opposed inboard horizontal extensions 38 End W. The inboard horizontal extensions 34 and .28 are siightly longer than the inboard horivI-ifr zontal extensions 36 and 40. From each of these horizontal inboard extensions 34, 66, 38 and 40, there depends a vertical tube as 42, 44, 46 and 48 respectively, each tube being provided with a closure 50 at its lower end and a second closure 6| above the lateral extension. Each of the vertical tubes has a slot in the closure 60 which extends at right angles to the elevated platform 6 and longitudinally along the strip x whose width shown in Figure 3, when the slots 54 and 58 are; aligned with the edge of the strip X the corresponding slots 62 and 66 will be disposed slightly inwardly thereof. Associated with each of the vertical tubes 42, 44, 46 and 48, is a photoelectric cell or scanning tube designated as 60, 62, 64 and 66 respectively. 7

Disposed beneath the delivery table 2 is a bed 68 which extends in parallelism with the elevated platform 8. Resting upon the bed 68 is a pair of spaced carriages I0 and 12, each ofwhich comprises an inverted channel shaped member the legs of which embrace the outer faces of the upper ends of the flanges of the I-beams comprising the bed 66. Carried by the bed 68 adjacent each of its outer ends are vertically extending pins 4 00 which are mounted on the platform 8. An index or pointer 92 is carried by one of the less 30 of the carriage 26 for the purpose of indicating'various positions along the scale 86.

In addition to the foregoing means of measurement and indication thereof, the apparatus of the invention provides for magnification of the inwhen such occur.

.14 and I6 respectively, each of which having mounted thereon a horizontally disposed sprocket 18. In the embodiment shown the vertically extending pins I4 and 16 are mounted onand proiect from the upper face of the web 69 of the bed fined by the ends of the flanges of the bed. A chain 80 having one end connected to the carriage I0 and the other end connected to the carriage 12 passes around one of the sprockets 18. A. similar chain 60 is connected to the carriages I0 and I2 and passes around the other sprocket 18 as best shown in Figure 9. The chains 80 may be moved in any suitable manner and in the embodiment shown, receive movement through the right hand sprocket 18 by means of the hand wheel 82 connected to the shaft 14. Carriages I0 and I2 carry shielded light sources 84 and 66 respectively, which lie below the delivery table 22 and may be made to occupy varying spaced distances with respect to the adjacent edges of the strip X, the light therefrom projecting beyond the edges of the strip toward the slots 52, I4, 66 and 58 respectively. The moving strip traveling above the shielded light sources 64 and 88 blocks oif the light within the span of its width but the remaining rays of light continue vertically outside thereof toward the slots 62, 64, 06 and 68.

As describedherelnbefore there. is an onset relationship of each pair of the vertical tubes 42, 44 and 46, 48, the axis of one tube of each pair being slightly to one side of the strip and the axis of its companion tube being slightly on the other side thereof. Therefore, each edge of same width throughout. However, the invention seeks to move the carriages 26 and 26 in accordance with variations in the width of the strip and to actuate indicating media by such move- ,ment. For indicating purposes, the legs 32 of the ',carriage 26 have attached thereto a horizontal scale 68 which extends behind the front leg of the carriage 26 and rides upon a pair of rollers .68 and thesprockets .18 lie within the space decrements or variations in the width of the strip This means comprises a dial 84 having-large graduations as shown and which is mounted on the carriage 26. Secured to and extending from the carriage 28 is a horizontally extending rack 96, the bottom of which is suitably contoured for contact with an aligned pair of rollers 98, which are mounted on the top of the carriage 26, Also, on the top of the carriage 26 is a suitably iournaled rotatable shaft I00 occupying a position at right angles to the rack 66 and provided with an integral extension which extends through the center of the dial 64 and carries for cooperation therewith a pointer I02. Immediately above the rack 66, the rotatable shaft I00 has secured-thereto a pinion I04 which meshes with the said rack whereby the reciprocatory movement of the latter imparts rotatlve movementtothepointer i02.

As stated herelnbefore, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention contemplates the movement of the pairs of the vertical tubes 42, 44, and 46, 46, toward and away from each other in accordance with the variations in width of the strip whereby the scale 88 and its pointer 62 indicate the width of the strip while the dial 64 and its indexing instrumentality I02 indicate minus or plus departures from the neutral position. The movement of the carriages 26 and 28 toward and away from each other in order to obtain the desired indications is effected through the medium of the electric motors I6 and 20, the energization' and de-energization of which are controlled by the photoelectric cells 60, 62, 64 and 66, one of which is carried by each of the ver-'- tical tubes 42, 44, 46 and 48, respectively.

The photoelectric circuit for controlling the energization of the motors I6 and 20 is schematically shown in Figure 12. The Pu p se of the control is to cause the carriages 26 and 26 to move in such a manner that they will follow the edge of the traveling strip'X. Each of the light sensitive devices 60, 62, 64 and 66 is connected through a standard amplifying device I08 which has the function of amplifying the photoelectric current from the tube to a value sufficient to operate an electric relay. 'The circuit for operating the motor I6 is the same as that for operating the motor 20 and therefore the operation of the circuit will be described in reference to the motor 20, it being understood that the operation of the circuit controlling motor I8 is the same. The reference characters applied to the various parts of the circuit are the same in both instances.

The pair of photoelectric tubes 64 and 66, following the left edge of the strip, are connected by wires I06, H0 and H2, H4, respectively, through the amplifier I06 to the coils H6 and H8, respectively, of the relays I20 and I22. With the tube aperture illuminated, the amplified energy of the tube 66 is sufllcient to energize the coil of relay I22, closing the normally open contact I24 and opening the normally closed contact I26. In a similar manner, light striking the aperture of tube 64 closes the normally open contact I28 and opens the normally closed contact I30 of relay i20. When there is no illumination of the tube apertures, the relay connected to that tube will be in the lie-energized position shown in Figure 12.

A. standard three-pole single throw knife switch I22 is used for connecting the motor and control circuits to a two hundred and thirty volt, three phase A. C. power source. However, the func* tions of the device can be performed with the motor operating on either A. C. or D. C. and at any available voltage. The number of poles on the switch and on the motor starters will be governed by the type of electrical power used.

The reference muneral I34 indicates a stand- I/rd reversing motor starter. Energization of the coil I36 of the in-contactor causes the power contacts I38, I40 and I42 to close and the auxiliary control contact I44 to open. In like manner, energization of the coil I46 of the out-contactor closes contacts I48, I50 and I52 and opens contact I54. The auxiliary control contacts or interlocks I44 and I54 prevent energization of either contactor if the other contactor is already ener- :ized. In other words, only one of the coils I36 and I46 of the contactor-can be energized at one time. The power circuit to the motor passes through two heater elements I56 and I58 which causes the overload contact I60 to open when the motor is overloaded. When the in-contactor is closed, line LI is connected to motor terminal I62 through switch I32, line I64, closed contact I42, line I66 and heater element I58; line L2 is connected to motor terminal I68 through line I10, closed contact I40, and line I12; and line L3 is connected to motor terminal I14 through line I16, closed contact I38, line I18, and heater element I56. When the motor is connected in this manner, it runs in the direction which causes the carriage 28 to move toward the center of the strip.

When the out-contactor is closed, line LI is connected to motor terminal I14 through switch I32, line I64, closed contact I52 and heater element I56; and line L3 is connected to motor terminal through switch I32, line I16, closed contact I48 and heater element I 58. The connection between L2 and motor terminal I68 remains the same. This reverses one phase of the three phase line feeding the motor 20 and causes it to operate in the opposite direction, thus moving the carriage away from the center of the strip.

A flag switch I80 operated by the strip X is located in the line leading from the line L3 to the relays I20 and I22 and prevents operation of the gage except when the strip is passing therethrough. Otherwise, the carriages 26 and 28 would continue to approach each other seeking the edges of a non-existent strip. The light sources 84 and 86 operate only when the flag switch I80 is closed, since their circuit is L3, I82, I84, I86 toL-I.

A limit switch I88 is located at the outer limit of the carriage slide and a second limit switch I90 at the inner limit, both switches normally being closed. These switches are located in the control circuit and when the carriage reaches either of these extreme positions, it opens the limit switch at that position, thus interrupting the control circuit to the motor starter, opening the starter contacts and stopping the motor.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When a strip of steel passes below the gage, the flag switch I80 is closed and the light sources 84 and 86 energized. If the apertures 52, 54, 56 and 58 are positioned with respect to the strip X as shown in Figure 3, with the apertures 52 and 56 dark and the apertures 54 and 58 bright,

no movement of the carriages 26 and 28 takes place. If the gage carriage 28 is too far toward the center of the strip, the strip will interrupt the light to both tubes 64 and 66. The contactors oi relays I20 and I22 remain as shown. this completing the circuit through the coil I46 of the out-contactor from L3 through closed contacts of switch I80, lines I82, I84, closed contact I30, line I92, closed contact I26, switch 488, coil I46, line I84, closed contact I44, line I96 and line I16. This energizes coil I46 and causes the motor 20 to operate in an out-direction carrying the gage carriage 28 away from the center or the strip until the extreme outer travel is reached which causes switch I88 to open or until the tube 66 passes the edge of the strip and causes the contact I26 to open. Either of these occurrences interrupts the control circuit and stops the motor 20. The variations in the width of the strip are indicated by the relative movement of scale 88 and pointer 92 and also by the relative movement of the scale 94 and pointer I02.

If the carriage 28 is too far from the center of the strip, light strikes the apertures 56 and 58, thus causing current to flow through coils H6 and I18, respectively. This opens the normally closed contacts I26 and I30 and closes the normally open contacts I24 and I28 to complete a circuit from line L3 through switch I80, lines I82, and I84, closed contact I28, line I88, closed contact I24, limit switch I90, coil I36, line 200, closed contact I54, overload contact I60, and line I16. The energization of the in-coil I36 causes the motor 20 to operate in an iii-direction until it reaches the extreme iii-position and opens limit switch I90, or until the light to tube 64 is blocked on by the strip, thus opening the contact I26. Either of these occurrences interrupts the circuit and stops the motor.

In a similar manner carriage 26 is moved in accordance with the supply of light to the tubes 60 and 62.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other modifications and adaptations may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gage for determining the distance between two opposite edges of an elongated substantially opaque article comprising a pair of light sources at one side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, two carriages on the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge,

.. means mounting said carriages for movement toward and from each other, a pair of light responsive devices on each carriage, one of each pair being normally aligned with a respective edge of said article and the other of each pair being disposed slightly inwardly of its respective edge, a scale connected to be moved by one carriage, a pointer moving over said scale and controlled by movement of the other carriage, and means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on the respective devices as a result of variation of said distance for independently moving the respective carriages to restore said alignment whereby said scale and pointer continuously indicate said distance.

2. A gage for determining the distance between two opposite edges of an elongated substantially opaque article comprising light sources at one side of said article, each in substantial alignment with a respective edge, two carriages on the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, means mounting said carriages for movement toward and from each other, a light responsive device on each carriage normally aligned with its respective edge, a scale connected to be moved by one carriage, a pointer moving over said scale and controlled by movement of the other carriage, and means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on each device as a result of variation of said distance for independently moving the respective carriages to restore said alignment whereby said scale and pointer continuously indicate said distance.

3. A gage for determining the distance between two opposite edges of an elongated substantially opaque article comprising light sources at one side of said article, each in substantial alignment with a respective edge, two carriages on the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, means mounting said carriages for movement toward and from each other, a pair of light responsive devices on each carriage, one of each pair being normally aligned with a respective edge of said article and the other of each pair being disposed slightly inwardly of its respective edge, a scale connected to be moved by one carriage, a pointer moving over said scale and controlled by movement of the other carriage, and means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on the respective devices as a result of variation of said distance for independently moving the respective carriages to restore said alignment whereby said scale and pointer continuously indicate said distance.

4. A gage for determining the distance between two substantially parallel edges of an elongated substantially opaque article comprising light sources at one side of said article, each in substantial alignment with a respective edge, means mounting each source for movement toward and from each other, two carriages on the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, means mounting said carriages for movement toward and from each other, a pair of light responsive devices on each carriage, one of each pair being normally aligned with a respective edge of said article and the other of each pair bein disposed slightly inwardly of its respective edge, a scale connected to be moved by one carriage, a pointer moving over said scale and controlled by movement of the other carriage, two motors each connected to move a respective oarriage, and means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on the respective devices due to changes in said distance, for controlling said motors to so move said carriages as to restore said normal alignment whereby said scale and pointer continuously indicate said distance.

5. A gage for determining the distance between two substantially parallel edges of an elongated substantially opaque article comprising light sources at one side of said article, each in substantial alignment with a respective edge, means mounting each source for movement toward and from each other, two carriages on the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, means mounting said carriages for movement toward and from each other, a pair of light responsive devices on each carriage, one of each pair being normally aligned with a respective edge of said article and the other of each pair being disposed slightly inwardly of its respective edge, a first means connected to be moved by one of said carriages, a second means connected to be moved by movement of the other of said carriages, and means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on the respective devices due to changes in said distance for controlling said motors to so move said carriages as to restore said normal alignment whereby said first and second means continuously indicate said distance.

6. A gage for determining the distance between two opposite edges of a moving elongated substantially opaque article comprising a pair of light sources at one side of said article, each adjacent a, respective edge, two carriages 0n the other side of said article, each adjacent a respective edge, a pair of closed tubes on each carriage, said tubes being spaced apart in the direction of travel or said article, each tube having a slot therein on the end adjacent the article and a light responsive device at the opposite end, each of said slots being elongated in the direction of movement or said article with one edge of one slot in each pair of tubes being in substantial alignment with one edge of the other slot,the slot in one of each pair of tubes being disposed slightly inwardly oi the slot in the other or each pair, means responsive to changes in light from said sources incident on the respective devices as a result of variation of said distance for independently moving the respective carriages to restore said alignment, and means controlled conjointly by relative transverse movement of said devices for indicating said distance.

7. A gage for determining the distance between two opposite edges of a moving hot steel strip comprising two carriages on one side of said strip, each adjacent a respective edge, a pair of closed tubes on each carriage, said tubes being spaced apart in the direction of travel of said strip, each tube having a slot therein on the end adjacent the strip and alight responsive device at the op posite end, each of said slots being elongated in the direction of movement of said strip with one edge of one slot in each pair of tubes being in substantial alignment with one edge of the other slot, the slot in one of each pair of tubes being disposed slightly inwardly of the slot in the other of each pair, means responsive to changes in light incident on the respective devices as a result of variation of said distance for independently moving the respective carriages to restore said alignment, and means controlled conjointly by relative transverse movement of said devices for indicating said distance.

LE ROY BANNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Holmes et al. June 8, 1943 

